Men lag behind women regarding use of HIV services and represent the majority of individuals living with uncontrolled HIV, advanced HIV, and who experience HIV-related mortality. Men (15+) globally are less likely than women (15+) to know their HIV status (83% for men vs 91% for women), be on antire...troviral treatment (ART) (72% for men vs 83% for women) and reach viral suppression (67% for men vs 78% for women).
more
Human health and well-being are intimately linked to the state of the environment. Water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), climate change, air pollution and exposure to hazardous chemicals are major causes of environment-related burden of disease across the world. In the WHO South-East Asia Region, al...most a quarter of all deaths are attributable to the health impacts of environmental hazards. Air pollution is the leading cause of deaths from environmental risks and is a leading contributor to the NCD epidemic.
more
COPD Health Professionals & Educators
Whether you are a healthcare professional, COPD educator or patient advocate, it is important to stay informed about COPD care, resources and support options.
- The Facts About High Blood Pressure
- Understanding Blood Pressure Readings
- Health Threats from High Blood Pressure
- Get Down With Your Blood Pressure
- Learn How to Monitor Your Blood Pressure at Home
- Let's Talk About Blood Pressure
- Support That Empowers
Caring for someone with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) can be complicated. This toolkit is designed to support caregivers like you. It answers five questions most COPD caregivers face at some point in their experience. Some sections may apply to you more than others, so you can start w...herever you’d like, based on your needs. At the bottom of the page, you’ll find some useful forms and checklists to help you prepare for doctor visits, track medications and vaccinations, develop a helpful contact list, and more.
more
All health workers would benefit from gaining knowledge and skills to protect individuals and communities from air pollution exposure. This course examines the main health impacts of air pollution and which roles health workers can play to protect and promote people’s health.
Find featured COPD videos, toolkits, worksheets, guides and interactive tools for COPD patients and caregivers.
Various infographics on different topics in different languages.
This guidance describes the methods and processes of the Strategic Advisory Group of Experts (SAGE) on Immunization in developing evidence-based recommendations, WHO vaccine position papers, and other immunization policy guidance. Its aim is to facilitate the work of SAGE, its working groups and the... WHO Secretariat, as well as to inform a wider readership, such as national immunization managers and national immunization technical advisory groups. The document will be updated, as necessary, as the methodology for evidence-based decision making evolves.
more
Various videos on different topics in different languages.
Almost all populations are consuming too much sodium. The global mean intake of adults is 4310 mg/day sodium (equivalent to 10.78 g/day salt). This is more than double the World Health Organization recommendation for adults of less than 2000 mg/day sodium (equivalent to < 5 g/day salt).
- The prima...ry health effect associated with diets high in sodium is raised blood pressure, increasing the risk of cardiovascular diseases, gastric cancer, obesity, osteoporosis, Meniere’s disease, and kidney disease.
- An estimated 1.89 million deaths each year are associated with consuming too much sodium
more
This campaign by Servier and the World Heart Federation builds on the success of the USE TO ACT NOW ON ANGINA campaign. In addition to raising awareness of the importance of acting now, this campaign explores some about the common, but less well-known signs of angina, and explains why it’s key to ...not only act now, but act early in angina.
more
Obesity in all age groups, including children and adolescents, is a public health challenge across all settings. Obesity is now classified as a complex multifactorial chronic disease and not just a risk factor for other noncommunicable diseases and comorbidities. Recognizing the significance of prim...ary health care for an effective and efficient response to the obesity epidemic, the World Health Organization (WHO) has developed guidance on how to build capacity in the health system to deliver health services for prevention and management of obesity across the life course. This policy brief discusses the challenges and opportunities for preventing obesity in children and adolescents, and providing health services to treat and manage those already living with obesity. It outlines possible interventions through the primary health care approach.
more
The importance of community and civil society engagement to end TB has been highlighted in various strategies and global commitments. The WHO End TB Strategy, aligned with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, emphasizes the role of communities and civil society in ending the TB epidemic... by 2030. Furthermore, the political declaration of the 2023 United Nations High-level Meeting on TB highlights the need to ensure people-centred health services, with meaningful engagement of communities in the full spectrum of TB response.
more
To assess national-level responses to NCDs, WHO has implemented NCD country capacity surveys periodically since 2001. This report is the latest in that series. Since the first survey round, the NCD Country Capacity Survey (NCD CCS) has been conducted a further seven times, most recently in 2021. In ...the survey, completed by the NCD focal point within each country’s ministry of health or similar agency, countries are asked to report on the following topics relating to NCDs: (i) public health infrastructure, partnerships and multisectoral collaboration; (ii) policies, strategies and action plans; (iii) health information systems and surveillance; (iv) health system capacity for detection, treatment and care; and, added for 2021, (v) the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on NCD-related resources and activities. The questionnaire is web-based and requires supporting documentation wherever possible. In the 2021 round, data were collected from May onwards, with the last survey responses arriving in September. Validation was carried out by WHO regional offices and WHO headquarters. Country responses to previous rounds of the survey were incorporated into the analysis to assess progress since 2010. Although all 194 Member States responded to the survey, data comparisons were restricted to the 160 countries that had responded to all rounds of the survey since 2010.
more
Key facts
- An estimated 1.28 billion adults aged 30–79 years worldwide have hypertension, most (two-thirds) living in low- and middle-income countries
- An estimated 46% of adults with hypertension are unaware that they have the condition.
- Less than half of adults (42%) with hypertension are... diagnosed and treated.
- Approximately 1 in 5 adults (21%) with hypertension have it under control.
- Hypertension is a major cause of premature death worldwide.
- One of the global targets for noncommunicable diseases is to reduce the prevalence of hypertension by 33% between 2010 and 2030.
more
A cardiac risk calculator is a screening tool to assess your future risk of cardiovascular disease. It uses personal health information to evaluate heart health.
The mounting burden of type 2 diabetes is a major concern in healthcare systems worldwide. The purpose of this study is to investigate the trend of type 2 diabetes from 1990 to 2019 in Asia.
Adolescence, defined as the period between 10 and 19 years of age, is a developmental stage during which many psychosocial
and mental health challenges emerge (1). Studies show that 34.6% of all mental health disorders begin by 14 years of age and 62.5% by 25 years (2). More broadly, adolescents ar...e also navigating the transition to adulthood, exploring their autonomy and identity as they undergo rapid physical and social changes. In the context of
these significant developmental, physical and social shifts, mental health needs may increase, even for adolescents and young people with no diagnosis.
more
The World Health Organization's fact sheet on hypertension provides a comprehensive overview of high blood pressure, highlighting its prevalence, risk factors, and health implications. It emphasizes that hypertension is a major cause of premature death worldwide, with an estimated 1.28 billion adult...s aged 30–79 years affected, two-thirds of whom live in low- and middle-income countries.
The document outlines modifiable risk factors, including unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, tobacco and alcohol use, and being overweight or obese. It also discusses non-modifiable risk factors such as family history, age over 65 years, and co-existing conditions like diabetes or kidney disease. The fact sheet underscores the importance of regular blood pressure monitoring, as hypertension often presents without symptoms, and highlights lifestyle changes and medications as effective treatments. Additionally, it mentions global targets aimed at reducing the prevalence of hypertension by 33% between 2010 and 2030.
more